TV tournament tables not level?

fd_colorado

fd_colorado

Go Pack Go!!!
Silver Member
I have my DVR set to record all of the billiard programs on ESPN2 and I am amazed at the number of these tournament tables that aren't level.

Recently (I think is was one of the 7-ball vids) they were lagging for break and one of the player's balls blatantly rolled off about an inch or more coming back up to the head rail.

How hard can it be to get a mechanic to set up one tournament table that is level?
 
This has always amazed me as well. I have seen TV tables that rolled off more than a diamond on a lag. What has also surprised me is the number of pros who do not bother to check the level of the table before they start to play and are 'surprised' when they slow roll a shot and foul by missing the entire object ball. A lot of times the problem is that the tables are on carpet that settles after the first day and so the tables have a lot of roll the second day. But this could be fixed if anyone bothered.
 
fd_colorado said:
I have my DVR set to record all of the billiard programs on ESPN2 and I am amazed at the number of these tournament tables that aren't level.

Recently (I think is was one of the 7-ball vids) they were lagging for break and one of the player's balls blatantly rolled off about an inch or more coming back up to the head rail.

How hard can it be to get a mechanic to set up one tournament table that is level?
Click to expand...

There was only one Al Conte! Just teasin'. I'm sure there are many guys who are quite capable. But sometimes they hire one who isn't.
 
Some of you might remember the BCA Pro 9Ball event at the Riviera several years ago where a couple of the Olhausen tables spit pocketed balls back onto the table. Anything hit at more than pocket speed would plop right back out of the pocket. The tables were installed by the local Olhausen dealer, The Billiard Factory and their installers couldn't figure out how to correct the problem. There were also a couple of tables that rolled off horribly. Even Earl complained! ;) :eek: :D

So, after day one of the tournament, Ernesto ran out to the local Home Depot, bought some of the stick on rubberized weather stripping used for windows or doors. He stuck a piece at the top of the problem pockets so the balls would deflect downward into the pocket and not fly back onto the table. You would think that either the table distributor or table manufacturer would go to great lengths to ensure the equipment was in top condition and installed perfectly for an event with that type of exposure. :confused:
 
Rip said:
Some of you might remember the BCA Pro 9Ball event at the Riviera several years ago where a couple of the Olhausen tables spit pocketed balls back onto the table. Anything hit at more than pocket speed would plop right back out of the pocket. The tables were installed by the local Olhausen dealer, The Billiard Factory and their installers couldn't figure out how to correct the problem. There were also a couple of tables that rolled off horribly. Even Earl complained! ;) :eek: :D

So, after day one of the tournament, Ernesto ran out to the local Home Depot, bought some of the stick on rubberized weather stripping used for windows or doors. He stuck a piece at the top of the problem pockets so the balls would deflect downward into the pocket and not fly back onto the table. You would think that either the table distributor or table manufacturer would go to great lengths to ensure the equipment was in top condition and installed perfectly for an event with that type of exposure. :confused:
Click to expand...


i remember that, as i worked for the billiard factory. that was the year that they used the Connelly tables. when Olhausen has there tables there, we had a tech on site, to take care of problems
 
fd_colorado said:
Recently (I think is was one of the 7-ball vids) they were lagging for break and one of the player's balls blatantly rolled off about an inch or more coming back up to the head rail.
Click to expand...


I noticed that too, with a couple of matches. I recall seeing it happen during a 9-ball event too, which means it isn't an isolated instance. One involved Oliver Ortmann. It seemed to me by the expression on his face that he clearly took notice of how far his lag drifted back to the center diamond.
 
During one match I noticed that the balls were rolling to one corner. I could not believe that the table was not level during a championship match so I thought that it was my TV out of level. Shimmed that corner of the TV but the balls were still rolling off. :banghead:
 
Bigtruck said:
This a problem you will never see happen on a Diamond. ;)

Ray
Click to expand...

Agreed on the one piece slate...

Unless the mechanic is unable to get (1) of the axes level. If I thinking about this correctly, if he gets one axis level then the rest of the table is level.
 
Any of them

fd_colorado said:
Agreed on the one piece slate...

Unless the mechanic is unable to get (1) of the axes level. If I thinking about this correctly, if he gets one axis level then the rest of the table is level.
Click to expand...

I'm only familiar with the more recent Diamonds. But ALL Damond tables now can be leveled with ease and quickly.

Ray
 
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